SUBSIDIZING ABORTION

Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented today on the House health care bill that has generated so much controversy:

A debate is raging over whether an amendment by Rep. Lois Capps provides for a public subsidy of abortion. Catholics United claims that the Family Research Council (FRC) is guilty of “distorting” the Capps amendment when it claims that her legislation would do just that. The record clearly shows that Catholics United is wrong: Section B of paragraph 4 of Capps’ bill does exactly what FRC says.

“In every part of the country,” says the New York Times about the Capps amendment, “the government must ensure that there is at least one plan that covers abortion and at least one that does not.” Did the New York Times “distort” Capps’ effort? And is the Associated Press wrong today to title its article on the Capps amendment, “Government Insurance Would Allow Coverage for Abortion”? Moreover, if the Capps amendment banned all subsidies, why did she find it necessary to snap at Catholic bishops? “With all due respect, not everyone adheres to what the Catholic bishops believe.”

When the Capps amendment was debated on July 30, Rep. Joe Pitts charged that her initiative “creates an accounting scheme by which taxpayer subsidies, called affordability credits, if you will, will go to plans to pay for elective abortion, both the public plan and private plans….” What settles this issue is the question Pitts put to Counsel at the committee hearing: “If the Capps amendment is adopted, would the secretary of health and human services be allowed to cover elective abortions in the public plan?” Counsel: “Yes, sir.” Pitts: “So this is a sham?” Counsel: “Yes, sir, but…” But nothing—it is a sham and everyone knows it, save Catholics United.

From 1995 to the present, Rep. Capps has always had a perfect score of supporting Planned Parenthood and NARAL—she gets 100%. Her National Right to Life lifetime voting record is predictably 0%. And this is the congresswoman whom Catholics are supposed to trust on abortion?